CHENNAI, Nov 10: The Rashtriya Swaywamsevak Sangh (RSS) will file a contempt petition in the Madras High Court against the police for denying them permission to take out a rally despite court giving the goahead for it. When contacted by UNI, a spokesman of the RSS said thousands of RSS workers across Tamil Nadu were arrested last evening when they defied police orders and tried to take out processions to mark the Founder’s Day.
Police sources said more than 20,000 workers were arrested that continued till late in the evening. In the city, tens and hundreds of RSS workers, attired in their traditional khaki uniforms, were detained near the Rajarathinam Stadium where they assembled to take out the rally. Among those arrested were BJP State Unit President Tamizhisai Soundararajan, who had joined the RSS workers to express the BJP’s solidarity.
All the arrested were released a few hours later. Though Court had given permission for the procession in all the districts, police prevented the workers from taking out the march on the ground that they should not wear their uniforms, the spokesman said.
“So we will be filing a contempt of court petition against the police”, he said, adding, it would be filed either tomorrow or the day after as the advocates were boycotting courts today demanding release of five fishermen from Rameswaram who were awarded death penalty by the Colombo High Court in connection with a drug peddling case.
Justifying denial of permission as the RSS workers were dressed in Khaki uniforms, police said it was based on the amendment to the Chennai City Police Act, 1888, which prohibits training or assembly by groups with arms or in uniform that resembles that of the armed forces or the police. The Madras High Court, while directing the police to grant permission for the procession with certain restrictions, said the aspect of uniform appeared to have been ‘raised as a bogey’ as no member of the police force wore short pants today. (UNI)
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